Multi-page documents often include content created using a diversity of desktop applications including word processing, drawing, graphing and spreadsheet tools. Because of operating system and middleware complexity, many users are unable to integrate diverse content into a single presentation document. In many cases, a single presentation document combines content created by different users, all of whom may have particular application skills, but none of whom may have content integration skills. Because of this users often resort to manual collation.
The problem becomes particularly apparent when multiple copies of a multiple page collated document are required. If it is difficult or impossible for the user to print out the pages in the desired, collated order, then the user typically has to finish the process by manually collating each individual multi-page document copy. The degree of complexity in this process depends on the number of pages in each copy and the number of copies printed.
If the printed multi-page documents are to be bound, the necessity of manual collation prevents full automation of the process, as proper collation must occur before the binding step.